So ... You're a Fundraiser!

Figure out what motivates you the best. Is it compensation? Compliments? Little thank-you notes from your boss? Find out a way to communicate this in one of your first meetings.

5 conversations to have with your boss

You need to have several conversations with your boss.

1. Have a conversation about how your boss wants you to communicate. Does she prefer e-mail? Phone? What’s your communication style? How can you sync up with your boss? Where are the potential disconnects? What can the two of you agree to do to head off communication issues?
2. Have a conversation where you ask what the situation is this week. What is the highest priority, what is second and so on?
3. Have a conversation about what your boss’s expectations are for fundraising.
4. Have a conversation where you explain to your boss what you need, what resources you require. You probably want to explain your budget for marketing, events, etc., and talk about why you need more staff and specifically what you need the staff to do.
5. Have a conversation about how you can advance in the organization. You can make more money, sure, but what else? Could you get a change in title? Who will provide mentoring for you? Would you like to create organizational procedures around specific tasks? Would you like to streamline the identification and cultivation process for donors?

It’s also important to find out the answers to these questions:

1. Who was in the fundraising position before? How many people have been in the position in the last five years? If you didn’t already ask this in the interview, it’s good to find this out.
2. Look at the 990 forms and old budgets. How has the development department performed in the past? And how do your co-workers and boss feel it performed?
3. How did goals get set? Were these goals realistic? What were the benchmarks?
4. What happened when goals were not met?
5. Who has tried to change the organization? Were they successful?
6. What is the focus and vision of the organization?
7. Who is trustworthy in your organization?
8. Who can actually do their jobs? Who is burned out? Who is overwhelmed?
9. Who has influence with the executive director and board? What can you learn from them?
10. Where can you get some early wins? (Appeals? Events? Marketing?)
11. What needs to go into the development plan?
12. What are some ways to ensure communication keeps happening within your organization?

If you see something being done inefficiently, ask what may appear to be “dumb” questions. Why is this done this way? What’s another way to do this?